Love Circles
by Angel251
Summary: On Hold. A new girl arrives in Goten's life and brings with her all kinds of discoveries.
1. New In Town

**A/N:** I do not own DBZ. I do own all of my characters in this story, however.

The story is set after the battle with Buu. It has been about 20 years, though in my time line there was no Dragon Ball GT, and Goku never returned to Earth.

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The time had come. After months of waiting and planning, Lorian had to act. It was now or never. Her father was leaving home, most likely for several months. She could sense his ki from a great distance, and he had definitely left Maidejai. She breathed a sigh of relief when she felt his presence leave the atmosphere of Earth, and quickly gathered the few remaining items she wanted to take with her to the surface. A pang of sorrow ran through her as she glanced around her enormous bedroom one last time. She was going to miss this place. 

She admitted to herself that she was also going to miss her father. The bond they shared was strong. Even now she already found herself wishing he was back home, so she could see him one last time. But if he was there, she knew she would never be able to leave. Her father had forbidden her to interact with the people of Earth, unless they had been brought to Maidejai to instruct her. But she was 25 now, a grown woman, and she could take care of herself.

Of course, her father didn't think so. He seemed to believe she couldn't feed herself, much less fend for herself in the wilds of Earth. He thought she was still a child, and when she compared his age to her own, she knew this was true. But how was she ever to learn what life was about if he never let her live?

She sighed, wishing there was some other way, but knowing there wasn't. Her father could be so stubborn at times! Since her mother had died, he had been very strict with Lorian. She knew he loved her and only wanted her to be safe, but it was past time to treat her like an adult and let her make her own decisions. Even now, she knew he would refuse to let her leave if he knew where she was going. And that was why she had to leave before his return.

Lorian hadn't made this decision lightly. In fact, she had thought about it since her eighteenth birthday. It had started out as a fantasy: living on her own, free of her father's will. Over the years, as her mind turned to the idea more frequently, she began to devise plans on how to make her dream a reality. She had been tutored in the history of Earth and its people, and had learned many of their languages and customs. She had found a place to live, purchased a vehicle for transport, and opened a bank account with her entire personal fortune. Everything was in place. It was time to leave.

Steeling her resolve, she activated an android made in the image of her that she'd had created by some of her father's scientists, and set it on autopilot. She knew it would walk around her room and carry out her daily tasks perfectly, thus buying her time so her father's servants wouldn't know she was gone for quite awhile. She quickly made her way to her balcony and, after glancing around to make sure no one was in sight, she leaped over the railing, down into the clouds.

Her descent was initially slow, as the area around Maidejai was magically enhanced so it resisted the pull of Earth's gravity. But once she was free of the protective barrier, her gentle free fall turned into a drastic plummet. Lorian was unafraid, since she had learned to fly at a very young age, but she didn't want to use her power so close to the palace since she might be detected, so she let herself fall until the land below her was alarmingly close. Only then did she expend her energy, slowing her descent until she lightly landed on her feet behind a thick hedge in the center of a city.

She paused for a moment to survey her surroundings. To her right was an enormous structure, thoroughly modern with its gleaming steel walls and countless windows. In bold letters across it's front was a sign that read Capsule Corp. She sensed the presence of hundreds of humans inside, but they presented no threat to her. On her left was a road of some kind, teeming with people, but she ignored them. The real danger, if there was any, would come from above, from her father's palace. So she glanced skyward as she tentatively reached out with her ki, searching for traces of her father's men. When she sensed nothing, she began to relax, though she did not lower the shield she had created to hide her ki.

Lorian rose and brushed some dirt off her clothes. Normally she dressed comfortably in robes and gowns, but since she had decided to live among the humans, she had emulated their current fashions. She was wearing a red spaghetti strap tank top, khaki shorts that left little to the imagination, and sandals. She felt strangely exposed, but after weeks of observing people, she knew this was how they dressed. She had to admit the temperature was warmer on the surface, since Maidejai's magic barrier had kept the area around the palace mild and pleasant all year, so the slight amount of clothing assisted her in remaining cool.

She walked from behind the hedge and hesitantly stepped onto the sidewalk. She began to walk slowly, but she wasn't used to moving in the sandals, and she nearly fell when her toe hit a crack in the cement. Frowning, she focused all her attention on the ground to avoid tripping again. She made it about five feet when she ran into a wall and bounced back. Before she hit the ground, a strong hand reached out and grabbed her arm, helping her regain her balance. She instinctively raised her free hand to brace herself, and her palm came to rest upon a wall of muscle that pulsed under her touch. Lorian looked up to thank her rescuer, but suddenly she found herself speechless.

The person who had saved her from a rather embarrassing fall was a young man who looked to be about her age. He was tall and powerfully built, and the grip he had on her arm was firm. He possessed an air of confidence that hinted at fearlessness. His black hair was short and a bit wild. His dark eyes gleamed with innocence. He was incredibly handsome, and he radiated purity and power.

All of this combined to make Lorian speechless for the first time in her life. She was extremely aware of the warmth of his skin beneath her hand, was in fact becoming quite breathless from his proximity. She knew she should say something, _anything_, so they weren't just standing there staring at each other. But her brain refused to function.

He seemed to be having similar difficulties, or maybe he just wasn't used to being stared at. His eyes flew down the length of her body (by the Dragon, she felt as if she was naked!) and back up again, lingering on her face. The look was an openly appreciative one, but she didn't find it offensive for some reason. Perhaps because his own physical presence had such a pronounced effect upon her? She stared up at him in helpless fascination, and when his gaze met hers, a current of electricity passed between them that was so intense it caused Lorian to gasp in surprise. His gentle eyes widened a bit, and as she continued to meet his gaze, he smiled.

Lorian became aware of the fact that she still had her hand on his chest, and she quickly removed it, more than a bit embarrassed. Her action caused his smile to dim, and he released the hand he'd been holding with what seemed like reluctance. Or was that just wishful thinking on her part? Though they were no longer touching, his body was still so close it made thinking difficult. She finally forced herself to act, clearing her throat.

"Thank you."

Goten had just left Capsule Corp. He had stopped by to see his friend Trunks after a quick work out. Trunks was president of the company, and worked quite a bit. He had been up for a night out and had agreed to leave work early. Goten had left in a hurry because his mother Chi Chi had invited him over for dinner that night. Though he was a grown man and had an apartment of his own, nothing beat his mother's cooking. Since he was in a hurry, he wasn't paying attention to where he was going, and he ran into a girl head on. She started to fall over, and Goten reacted out of instinct, grabbing her arm and pulling her up. Her hand reached out and landed on his chest while she tried to gain her bearings.

It was then that he got his first glimpse of her. She was very tiny, her head just barely reached his chest, and the arm he held was so small his hand completely encircled it. Afraid of hurting her, Goten slid his hand down her arm and laced his fingers through her own, marveling at the way his hand dwarfed hers. His eyes traveled over her quickly. He was helpless not to look at her, but he didn't want to offend her. Her legs were very long and shapely, her waist small, and her curves full. Her face was enchanting. She had sinful lips, a dainty nose, and high cheekbones. Her long, dark brown hair reached the center of her back and was shot through with red highlights. And when his gaze finally met hers, he was hypnotized by the unique golden color of her eyes.

The girl returned his look boldly, and a strange awareness ran through him, much like when he faced an enemy in battle. His body instinctively tightened, his heart began to pound and his skin burned where she touched him. He wondered if she could feel his heart hammering under her gentle touch. No woman had ever made him feel this way.

_Say something! _He thought, but words escaped him. So he did the only thing he could remember how to do at that moment. He smiled. The girl blinked as if waking from a deep sleep, and hastily removed her hand from his chest. This minor rejection was not what Goten had been hoping for, but he respected her wish for distance between them, so he reluctantly let go of her hand.

She stood for a moment in silence, and then in a voice that was both defiant and vulnerable said, "Thank you."

For an instant Goten stood there stupidly, knowing he should say something in response, but unable to form a coherent sentence. Finally, he managed to stutter, "You-you're welcome."

His halting words filled Lorian with a sense of relief, because it was obvious he was feeling as nervous as she was. She gave him a radiant smile and said, "If you hadn't been so quick thinking and strong, I might've gotten a few bruises!"

_I'd kiss them and make it all better,_ Goten thought. Then her words of praise registered. She thought he was smart and strong! A warm glow spread through him, and when she smiled at him he felt as if he was the greatest man alive.

"It was nothing," he replied, even though he was feeling strangely light headed from her words. "I'm just glad you didn't get hurt."

Lorian knew such a minor fall would not have been able to damage her, but she was pleased he seemed concerned for her. As she gazed upon the handsome young man's strong profile, she doubted anything could harm her in his presence.

Goten could feel her eyes studying him, and he straightened his stance beneath her close regard. He hadn't planned on running into anyone, and he knew he was a mess since he'd just been at the gym. He found himself wondering if his hair looked ok, if he had anything on his face, if his clothes matched, if his clothes were sweaty, if his hair looked ok, if he had anything on his face…

Lorian noticed the man seemed to be on edge all of a sudden, and she wondered if she'd made him uncomfortable by staring at him again. She couldn't seem to help herself though, there was something about him that mesmerized her. She'd never felt this way before, and she had been around plenty of men in her life. She felt…safe, something she usually only experienced with her father.

Goten fidgeted for a moment or two before finally giving into the urge to look at her again. She was still staring at him in a way that was intense yet approving. He returned the look openly, and several seconds flew by in complete silence.

It occurred to Lorian that she knew nothing of the city she was in, but that this young man probably did. If he would consent to be her guide, he could show her around and she could bask in his presence a little while longer.

"Thank you again," she began, her voice uncharacteristically shy. "My name is Lorian de Varr, and I just moved here. I was out looking around, but I'm afraid I got lost. You wouldn't mind taking me home, would you?"

Goten blushed at her last words, but he could tell by the girl's innocent expression she didn't realize how they'd sounded. _Lorian__ de Varr, _he thought, filing the name in his memory. He frowned at her mentioning she was lost, immediately feeling concerned. He knew he had food waiting, which was normally of utmost importance to a Saiyan, but he couldn't just leave the girl on her own.

"My name is Goten, and I could show you around the city if you'd like," he said, realizing too late that she hadn't asked him to do that, just to get her home. He held his breath, but she only smiled, and he went on before she could speak. "First I'd need to visit my mother. She's expecting me for dinner, but if you wouldn't mind coming with me, I can stop by her place and let her know my plans have changed."

Lorian smiled at his words, delighted she was getting a chance to spend more time with him. The idea of meeting his mother didn't bother her, because her knowledge of human courtship customs was limited. She had no idea what meeting the parents usually meant. "I don't mind at all. Lead the way, Goten."

The sound of his name on her lips was every bit as dazzling as the smile she gave him. Without thinking, he reached out and grabbed Lorian's hand. A thrill of sensation leaped between their fingers and filled him with the urge to kiss her. Even as his eyes flew to her lips, Goten's mind warned him to go slow. So he forced himself to look back into her eyes, and he noticed _she_ was staring at _his_ mouth. That made it all the more difficult not to kiss her, but he sensed she wasn't like other girls he'd known, so for once in his life Goten restrained himself from doing what his heart desired.

He smiled softly and said, "Right," before slowly leading her down the street.


	2. Shopping?

**A/N: ****I do not own DBZ, although I'd just love to own Goku….All the original characters in this story are mine, however.**

**I feel I should mention that in my story, Goten as an adult is identical in appearance to Vegito. He's not as intelligent as Gohan, but he has more book smarts then Goku.**

**Thanks to Meilin76 for taking the time to review!**

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Chi Chi was speechless for the first time in her life, a moment that few had ever thought to see, and unfortunately, those who had entertained such ideas were not present to witness the momentous occasion. Her son, her beloved baby, the boy who so often reminded her of her long lost love, had brought home a girl. A virtual stranger, as far as Chi Chi was concerned, since Goten had never once mentioned meeting any new women. Chi Chi had never been known for having manners around men, but she tried to keep up a civil appearance around other women, so she managed to smile weakly at the girl as Goten introduced her.

"Mother, this is Lorian de Varr. She's new to Orange City and so I thought I'd take her out tonight and show her around," her son replied, his eyes shining as he looked down at the tiny, ethereal creature at his side.

Chi Chi had to admit she was a beauty, very exotic looking, and the girl's eyes were truly unusual…Her eyes widened when she realized what her son had said. "Don't tell me you're not staying for dinner," she snapped, her eyes narrowing as her son continued to stare at the girl like a love struck simpleton, although he did have the sense to look at her for a moment when she raised her voice.

"Well, um, actually, I um," Goten began to stutter, glancing from Lorian to his mother and back again, obviously torn between the two women.

Lorian bowed her head. "It's nice to meet you," she softly said, attempting to curtail Chi Chi's anger, sensing and understanding the other woman's irritation and feeling slightly guilty since it was her fault. "I don't wish to be the cause of an argument. I'd love to stay and have dinner, if you wouldn't mind."

Chi Chi started to say that would be fine, but Goten got a vision of himself eating like a pig in front of the lovely girl, and he immediately said, "No!"

Lorian blinked at him in surprise, wondering what she'd said that had upset him. Chi Chi knew perfectly well why her son didn't want to eat in front of the girl. Saiyan dining was never a pleasure to see, especially for those who'd never witnessed it before. Knowing her son's enormous appetite, it was amazing that he was choosing to give up eating in order to spend time with this girl. And it was also strong proof that he was quite infatuated. Perhaps he would finally start a family with this girl as his mate, and give Chi Chi more grand children…Chi Chi suddenly decided it would be best for Goten to take the girl out after all.

"Oh, nonsense. You're not causing an argument. I'd actually enjoy not cooking for a change," she quickly interjected, mentally wincing at how much food was already sitting out in the kitchen and would need to be refrigerated. "You two go out, have fun. I insist!"

Now it was Goten who was speechless, staring at his mother in surprise. He knew she'd been angry a moment before, but now she seemed to have completely changed her mind. He'd never understand women. "Um, yeah. We'll do that. Good night, mom," he finally replied, giving her a hug before turning and leading Lorian outside. "What now?" he asked, studying her face in the darkening night shadows.

Lorian looked up at him, her eyes alight with curiosity. "I want you to show me everything!"

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Goten spent that first day taking Lorian around Orange City. She found the simplest things interesting: malls, parks, bus stations. She asked questions about everything they drove by, and he promised to show her everything there was to see in due time. Everything seemed so new to her, and she was so enthused and energetic that he found himself sharing in her joy. She made him feel…incredible. He couldn't take his eyes off her. He knew he'd have to see her again, or he'd go crazy. She was like a child, so pure hearted and full of life, and her happiness was infectious. She brought to mind days of his child hood, playing carefree with Gohan, meeting his father…

Despite his interest in her, Goten was careful to hide his Saiyan powers from her. Since cars were a marvel to her, he decided that seeing a man fly or spontaneously burst into a blond energy ball might be too overwhelming for her.

For their first day together, he decided to go someplace most women enjoyed: the mall. After he'd parked the car, he got out and opened her door for her before leading her to the mall entrance. He held her hand, enjoying the way it felt in his own, and the breathless feeling he experienced just standing by her.

Lorian's eyes widened as they entered the mall and countless stores appeared before her. There were people everywhere, rushing about, hardly aware of one another.

"What do you do in this mall?" she asked, because though she'd studied human cultures, she had paid more attention to how people spoke and what they wore rather then where they went.

Goten glanced down at her in surprise. Who'd ever heard of a girl who didn't know about shopping? "You must have had a very secluded life. You _shop_ in a mall."

"Shop?" she asked, used to having things made for her by servants.

He blinked at her and then laughed. "Yeah, shop. Look at things in the stores and then buy whatever you like."

Ah, commerce she understood to an extent, and she was glad she'd had the foresight to bring along money. She dragged Goten into the nearest store, which happened to be a clothing store. He led her to the women's section and then watched as she rifled through the clothes on display, pausing to select a blue velvet top that looked like it would be very flattering on her.

"How do I know if it will fit me?" she asked, holding the shirt up.

Goten wondered if she'd been raised in a cave. Even _he _knew about shopping and fitting rooms. "You try it on."

Lorian smiled and then turned her back to him and pulled the straps of her tank top down. Goten's mouth fell open as she began to drag the tank top up over her head.

"Hey, wait a minute," he called out, and she paused to glance back at him, looking sexy and innocently confused. He could clearly see the curve of the side of her breast from that angle and his heart began hammering in his chest, and suddenly it was very difficult for him to think. What had he been about to say? Oh yeah…"You can't undress out here. You try the clothes on in that dressing room over there."

Lorian replaced her top and then disappeared into the dressing room. Goten stared after her in astonishment, unable to believe she'd been about to strip. In front of him…Then he slapped his forehead. Why had he stopped her? What kind of fool was he?!?

Sighing in regret, he sat down to wait. She didn't take long. She came out to show him the top.

"Do you like it? I think it doesn't fit me right," Lorian mused aloud as she spun around in front of him.

Goten thought it looked fine. More then fine, perfect. The top was sleek and clung to her figure, it was stretched taut across her generous breasts and he felt his mouth go dry as he looked at her. "I think it fits you just fine," he managed to squeak out.

Lorian glanced over at him and paused. Goten had a most unusual expression on his face. She couldn't tell if he was hungry or in pain. "Are you okay?"

Goten blinked as if waking from a trance. "Huh? Yeah, I'm fine."

Lorian smiled at him. "Good. I'd hate to have to cut our day short."

She walked back into the dressing room and changed back into her tank top.

Goten asked her if she wanted to look around some more, but Lorian wanted to see what was in the next store, so she said, "No. I'd just like this for now."

Goten led her to the cashier area, and Lorian paid the woman working without any difficulty, though the woman initially was startled by the enormous bill Lorian gave her.

Goten, upon seeing the cash in her hand, realized she must be very wealthy, maybe even as rich as Trunks. He was not a material man by any means, and money was unimportant to him, but he wondered again where she'd grown up and what her family life was like.

The next store they went to was a shoe store, and Lorian immediately handed him her bag with her new top in it and dashed over to look at the rows of shoes. Goten smiled at her enthusiasm and sank onto a bench, watching as she perused the shoes before settling on a pair of high heeled sandals. She glanced around, looking for a dressing room, and then approached Goten and said, "Where do I go to try these on?"

Goten tilted his head to one side and then said, "Uh, right here."

"I don't have to go to a dressing room?" she asked, perplexed.

"Not to try on shoes," Goten assured her, thinking naked feet were far less dangerous to his sanity then naked breasts.

But a moment later he changed his mind when Lorian shrugged and then yanked her sandals off before putting one foot up on the bench, on the space directly between his legs. She put one hand on his shoulder for balance, then leaned forward and used the other hand to slip the high heeled sandal onto her foot. He found her face inches from his, and he had a clear view straight down her top. He felt sweat break out on his brow and reminded himself to breathe. Lorian removed one foot only to replace it with her other foot as she slipped a sandal onto that one as well.

By the time she stepped back to twirl around in the shoes, Goten's blood was rushing through his ears so loudly he could hardly hear. Was she deliberately teasing him? No one could be that naïve!

"Well, what do you think?" she asked.

He stared at her for a moment, taking in her bright expression, and realized she _was _that naïve. How interesting. He looked down at her legs and realized she had fantastic legs for being so short. They weren't as noticeable in flats, but the heel of these sandals forced her foot to arch and her calf to curve and it made her legs look delectable. He nervously rubbed the back of his neck. "They're nice."

"I think they are a little tight," she muttered before bending down to adjust the strap on the right shoe. Gotten stared as her shorts rode up and her cleavage was put on prominent display again. How much torture was he going to have to endure? Who would have guessed a trip to the mall would be so…difficult?

Lorian straightened up and then walked over to him, obviously intent on taking the shoes off. He wasn't sure he could live through having her breasts in his face again. "Uh, why don't you just sit down on the bench next to me? It'll be easier for you to take those off."

Lorian nodded, sat down next to him, removed the sandals and replaced them with her own. She paid for the sandals and then Goten decided to get out of the mall.

"I think that's enough shopping for one day. How about we go get something to eat?"

Lorian glanced around the mall with obvious longing, but then nodded. "Okay."

Goten took her to a fast food place, concerned she might think he was being pushy if he took her to a nice restaurant. He got one measly meal and forced himself to eat slowly. He was surprised to see Lorian order two meals and she ate them rather quickly.

"Wow, you can sure put food away," he joked. "A girl after my own heart."

Lorian shrugged. "I've always had a healthy appetite."

Not wanting to be outdone by a girl, and certainly not in eating, Goten ordered himself another meal and polished it off a little faster then he's eaten the first one.

It was getting dark outside and Lorian yawned into her hand, tired after such a stressful and adventurous day. Goten saw her gesture and knew he should take her home, but he didn't want the day to end, afraid he might never see her again. Still, he did the gentlemanly thing and drove her home.

When he walked her up to her apartment, and they stood outside her front door, his heart was hammering in his chest and he felt light headed in anticipation of kissing her. He knew she might find it forward, but it was something he had to do. Lorian was not nearly so nervous, as she had no knowledge of this human custom. But when Goten put a hand on her cheek and tilted her face up to his before slowly leaning down, she knew what was coming. And she welcomed it. She had never felt as free in all her life as she had with him, and she felt immensely grateful and drawn to him.

When their lips touched, fire raced between them, and what Goten had meant to be a gentle good night kiss quickly turned into a raging bonfire of need, his mouth nearly devouring hers and his arms crushing her body against his. He knew he couldn't continue touching her for long without losing control, and he didn't want to hurt her or frighten her, so he reluctantly let her go. They were both a bit stunned and dazed, but he managed to ask, "What are you doing tomorrow night?"

Lorian blinked at him, trying to regain her thoughts, and said, "Nothing that I know of."

"Then tomorrow, I'm going to take you to the Zoo."

Lorian had no idea what that was, but as long as she was with him, it was fine by her. "You're on."

"Until tomorrow then," Goten whispered, bowing to her before leaving the building, driving his car down the street, his eyes barely seeing the road. When he was out of hearing range, he began to whoop with joy at the thought of seeing her again.

Lorian, who was by no means an average mortal, heard him clearly from her apartment, and smiled as she touched a hand to her trembling lips. Was this what her mother and father had shared? Was this feeling what had caused an immortal to be enslaved by a mere woman? She wasn't certain, but she had an idea that this was at least the prequel to it.


	3. Monkeying Around

**A/N: I do not own DBZ, its characters or settings. Anything new is mine. Thanks to Meilin76, Trunks-lover5 and Smack54 for their reviews!**

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Lorian was up early the next morning, getting ready. She had no idea what a Zoo was, but she didn't think it sounded like a formal place, so she dressed casually in khaki shorts and a comfortable short sleeve shirt. Because she had been so hot yesterday, she decided to wear her hair up and threw it into a ponytail.

She wandered out into her living room and turned on the T.V., her thoughts on the events of the previous day and Goten. He was such a wonderful man, prone to laughter and very kind. And he was rather handsome. He certainly kissed well, although truthfully she didn't have that much experience in the matter, so she couldn't be sure.

When Lorian had decided to come down to Earth's surface, she had never given much thought to dating anyone. It had seemed too complicated to even consider, seeing as how she'd have a whole side to her life she had to keep hidden. But Goten was so very sweet, and she had such fun with him, that she decided she would spend time with him and see where things went.

She turned her attention back to the T.V. as some very melodramatic music blared out, announcing the start of some show called "Days of Our Lives."

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Goten had a much more restless night then Lorian. He had dated before, several times, and some of the relationships had been quite serious. He had never felt half as drawn to those women as he did to Lorian, and he couldn't say why, considering he'd only known her for a day. The attraction he felt to her was almost elemental, something he didn't understand and probably should have been wary of but chose to ignore instead.

He was on his way home when he realized he was starving, so he stopped at his mom's house and raided the fridge. He was careful to be quiet, not wanting to answer any questions about his date. He knew how determined his mother could be when she wanted answers, after all. He ate in record time and then went home.

He had just floated into his apartment, his stomach full and his mind dancing with thoughts of Lorian, when a familiar voice sharply retorted, "Well, I'm so glad I took off from work early so I could sit in your apartment and wait for you to show."

Goten's head whipped around and there, on the couch, was Trunks. His eyes widened as he recalled inviting Trunks to go out. "Hey man, I'm sorry. I completely forgot we were supposed to go out."

"So I gathered," Trunks replied in his cool, sarcastic voice. "Did something come up at your mom's house?"

Goten knew what Trunks meant, his friend was asking if there had been some sort of trouble at his mother's because Trunks knew Goten wasn't completely welcome there anymore. He quickly shook his head. "No, everything went fine."

Trunks frowned at him. "Then why are you late?"

Goten nervously shifted from one foot to the next, a sheepish expression on his face. Trunks took one look at his face and heaved a sigh.

"Let me guess, it was a girl," Trunks answered his own question.

Goten gave a guilty laugh. "Yeah, it was."

Goten didn't have to say it, Trunks knew him too well, they had been friends since childhood and were so close they could read each other's minds at times.

Trunks slanted him a look and said, "I don't know whether to be annoyed with you or not. Standing me up for some girl."

Goten's normally friendly face abruptly changed, turning tense and almost irritable. "Look, I said was sorry."

Trunks immediately surmised this girl was not just some girl. Had Goten run into an ex? Was that the reason for his defensive air?

"Fine, but tell me, who did you run into?"

Goten heard and recognized the curious tone in Trunks' voice, and while he wasn't sure he wanted to discuss Lorian with anyone yet, he did feel as if he owed his friend some sort of explanation. "Someone you wouldn't know."

Trunks tilted his head to the side. Someone new, then? And Goten hadn't told him about her? How odd, and unprecedented.

"Will I be getting to know her?"

It was more a question of whether or not Goten thought he might get serious with this girl, and they both knew it.

Goten gave a slight shrug. "I don't know."

Trunks noted his friend's anxious state and decided to drop things for the moment. "Fine, let's just consider her forgotten for the moment. How about we go out and try to find a party or two?"

Goten gave a nervous cough. "Uh, I can't."

Trunks leaned back on the couch in surprise. "Why not?"

The two Saiyans often went out until dawn when they decided to go out on the town.

"I have a date tomorrow."

The way he said it told Trunks it was a date with this new girl. Trunks abruptly rose to his feet and said, "Well then, get some sleep."

He headed for the door, wondering who this girl was and how things had gotten so serious with her so quickly.

Goten said, "Thanks for understanding."

It was another apology, and Trunks just waved it off, even though he was highly annoyed and infinitely curious. "Whatever."

He was out the door before Goten could say anything else. Goten debated chasing after him, but decided against it. He'd already apologized; the best thing to do now was to let Trunks cool off.

With a sigh, Goten had stalked into his bedroom and dropped onto his bed, thoughts of Lorian already replacing those of Trunks. He hadn't told her what time he'd pick her up tomorrow, he'd suddenly realized as he'd drifted off to sleep.

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The next day Goten was up and ready to go before noon. He headed over to Lorian's, wishing he could ditch the car and fly but knowing he couldn't do that.

He practically ran up to her front door and then paused to compose himself before knocking.

Lorian was almost in a trance, staring at her T.V. in wide eyed wonder, when she heard the knock on the door. She gave a startled yelp and then raced over to the door.

"Hi Goten," she sniffled out, tears streaming down her face, doing nothing to diminish her beauty, at least not in his smitten eyes.

"Hey, are you okay?" he asked, immediately concerned.

"Oh, I'm fine. It's just that Lily found out Jason two timed her with her cousin Anna, who is really her half sister that was sent to a mental institute after murdering their father," Lorian explained in a hurried rush.

Goten gazed at her blankly. "Um, okay."

"I'm ready to go," she assured him. "Is what I'm wearing acceptable for the zoo?"

Goten glanced down at her, still confused, but just shrugged and said, "You look fine."

Lorian smiled at him, grabbed her purse and said, "Let's go."

* * *

The ride to the Zoo was uneventful, but once they were inside, Lorian's reaction was not what Goten had expected it to be. She took one look at the animals on display and frowned.

"What's going on here?"

Goten glanced over at her and saw the frown on her face. "What do you mean?"

"Why are these creatures being held prisoner?" Lorian demanded as she marched up to the nearest cage and pointed at the birds inside.

Goten chuckled. "They're not being held prisoner."

"I doubt they'd agree with you," she primly replied, gazing at the lovely parrots with sad eyes.

Goten shifted then, not wanting her to be upset. "Well, they've probably lived this way their whole lives. They don't know anything else."

His words had been meant to comfort, but Lorian's expression became even more horrified. "You mean they are imprisoned from birth?"

Not knowing how to explain such a simple matter to her, since it was obvious she knew nothing of zoos just as she'd known nothing of malls, Goten nodded. "Sort of."

"How terrible," Lorian whispered, her heart aching in sympathy for the confined animals.

She had spent her entire life in confinement, kept under the watchful eye of her father and his servants. She knew very well how it felt to have no freedom. Tears came to her eyes as she glanced at the man she had regarded as kind only moments before.

"And you find this entertaining?" she asked in a hushed voice.

Goten suddenly felt like a complete ass, even though he hadn't done anything wrong. "Look, it's not like that."

Lorian walked away from him before he had a chance to finish explaining. She could tell by the way his voice had softened that he was not deliberately cruel, he was only thoughtless. Apparently it was acceptable in this culture to lock up wild beasts, but it was not acceptable to her.

As she paused in front of the next cage, four sets of curious, bright eyes met hers. The Japanese Macaques had brilliant red faces and furry gray bodies, but they reminded her too much of things from her past. Without warning, she leaned forward and wrenched the cage open with her inhuman strength.

"Run, little ones, run," she cried.

The monkeys jumped out and indeed ran…to the first person who was holding food. They swarmed over a hapless man holding a box of popcorn, wrestling it from his grasp and bickering over the stolen food among themselves.

Goten, who had been staring at the scene in wide eyed disbelief, came rushing over to Lorian. She ignored him, staring at the monkeys in surprise. "Run, you fools!"

A crowd had started to gather, watching the monkeys leap from table to table in search of more people food, and several people were pointing in Goten and Lorian's direction, obviously aware who was responsible for the animals' escape. Great, they were probably going to get banned from the zoo, Goten thought as he hovered over Lorian to protect her from the playful primates.

"What are you doing? You can't let the animals out of their cages!"

"But they are being held captive against their will," Lorian protested. "It's cruel!"

Goten heaved an exasperated sigh. "It might look that way, but trust me, these animals are better off in captivity."

Lorian thought back over her own life, her gilded cage at Maidejai, and disagreed. "No, confinement is never right."

One monkey shrieked as it leaped up onto a food stand, sending bags of chips flying.

"Sometimes it is," Goten gently argued. "For instance, many animals are endangered in the wild. They are dying out, and the only way they can survive safely is in captivity."

Lorian considered his words as another monkey stole an ice cream cone from a child, causing the startled toddler to scream in anger. The monkeys weren't even trying to escape the zoo, she realized.

Just then, a zoo keeper arrived and began approaching the animals. One of them ran over to him and jumped up into his outstretched arms, shrieking in greeting.

"Perhaps you are right," she consented. "But I still don't like it."

Goten would have answered, but just then another zoo keeper began marching towards them.

"Hey, you two, did you release these animals?"

"Uh, time to go," Goten said, grabbing Lorian's hand.

Lorian frowned at the zoo keeper but before she had time to tell him she had indeed released the monkeys, Goten was running across the courtyard. The zoo keeper gave a shout and started to chase them, but Goten was too quick for him even with Lorian in tow, and the zoo keeper was soon left fading in the distance.

"Well, so much for the zoo," he grumbled to himself as they hastily made their way to his car.

Lorian sent him an apologetic look. "I'm sorry if I ruined our day."

Goten looked over at her, startled, and immediately sent her a reassuring smile. "Hey, don't worry about it. You didn't ruin the day, you just gave me an unexpected...surprise. Why don't we go get something to eat?"

As he'd hoped, mention of food brought a smile to her face. "Oh, yes, let's go eat!"

Goten laughed at her eager expression and thought he just might be in love.


	4. Friends

**A/N: I do not own DBZ, its characters or settings. Anything new is mine!**

**Thanks to Meilin76 for taking the time to review!**

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After the disastrous Zoo date, Goten didn't see Lorian again for a week. Not that he didn't want to, but he did have a job, although technically he had no need of one. He frequently worked at Capsule Corp, being Trunks' sounding board more or less. Anything Trunks wanted an honest opinion about, he discussed with Goten. While Goten was intelligent and perceptive, he was no genius like Trunks, but he tended to have the same thoughts on new ideas and products as the main stream populace Capsule Corp targeted for marketing, so his thoughts were actually quite valuable to the company.

His main job, however, was running a dojo in Orange City. Goten had bought the school not long after graduating college. Though he had earned a degree in marketing, his true love was fighting. He had spent years enduring the rigorous training of his master, Vegeta, who had no equal on Earth. Trunks and Gohan had once contained more raw power then the Prince of Saiyans, but now thanks to years of physical indolence, they were no match for Vegeta.

Goten had often taught his niece Pan the moves he was shown by Vegeta, as she was too intimidated to approach the Prince to ask him to instruct her, and Vegeta would not deign to teach anyone who was not brave enough to meet him face to face. Goten had enjoyed those training sessions with Pan, almost as much as he enjoyed battling with Vegeta, and it was then he decided he'd open his own martial arts school.

Vegeta had refused to teach at Goten's school, considering only other Saiyans worthy of his training. Of course, there were hardly any Saiyans left to train, but the proud Prince would not be dissuaded and so Goten was on his own. He didn't mind, because he made sure his classes were small and that there was only one at a time. He was not interested in mass producing average fighters; he was much more interested in developing a handful of intense, dedicated warriors.

The days at the dojo went by quickly, though the nights were another story. He made sure to call Lorian that week, to set up a date for the weekend. She had informed him she was now hopelessly addicted to Anime cartoons and had fallen in love with reading fan fiction stories on the internet.

On Wednesday, when he stopped in at Capsule Corp to visit Trunks, his friend looked up with a surprised expression when Goten walked into his office.

"Well, look who's back from the dead," Trunks murmured in his dry, sarcastic voice that Goten had long since grown immune to.

"It hasn't even been a week," Goten replied.

"True, but I usually see you every day. Have you been spending all your nights with this new girl of yours?"

Goten's eyes narrowed as he dropped into a seat near the enormous bay window in Trunks' office. "Very funny. Watch it. And for you information, no, I haven't seen Lorian since this weekend."

Trunks shook his head in mock sympathy. "Oh, did your date not go so well? Has her charm worn off?"

"Hardly," Goten assured him. "Although the date to the Zoo was a disaster. She freed some monkeys and we ended up having to outrun the zoo keepers to avoid getting in trouble."

Trunks arched an eyebrow in amusement. "She did what?"

"You heard me," Goten laughed. "I'd never seen anything like it. She just walked up to the cage and opened it, as calm as you please, and encouraged the monkeys to escape. Although I should have seen it coming, she was unhappy the moment we arrived at the Zoo and she saw the animals were confined."

"How odd," Trunks mused aloud.

"After that, I took her to get something to eat, because she seems to love food as much as I do, and the rest of the night went fine," Goten went on, a dreamy look in his eye as he recalled the second good night kiss he'd given to Lorian.

"Ugh, spare me," Trunks muttered, rolling his eyes at the dopey look on his friend's face. "So are you going to see her this weekend?"

"Yeah, I'm taking her to a movie," Goten absently answered, his gaze still vacant.

"Hello, focus!" Trunks shouted, startling Goten into looking over at him. "You're going to a movie, huh? How about we go on a double date? I told Belinda I'd take her out this weekend, and this way I'd get to meet your new lady friend as well."

"Uh, I don't know about that Trunks," Goten stuttered, eyeing his friend warily. Trunks was a loyal companion and a good man, but he tended to be blunt to the point of rudeness, and Lorian was so naïve Goten was certain she would rub Trunks the wrong way.

"Why not? We've gone on double dates in the past and I've met every one of your girlfriends," Trunks argued in a reasonable, calm voice.

Goten sighed, knowing how stubborn Trunks could be when he wanted something. "I know, but I haven't been seeing Lorian for very long and I'm not even sure if she'd be comfortable going on a double date with two complete strangers."

Trunks suddenly grinned, the smile turning his normally serious face into a mask of handsome mischief. "Well, then, have Lorian bring a friend of hers along as my date, and then I'll be the only new person she has to worry about meeting."

Goten groaned at the gleam in Trunks' eyes. The Briefs heir was a true playboy: wealthy, influential, and into short relationships. Belinda was his woman of the month, a very pretty red head who didn't happen to have much of a brain, but was gifted with a body Venus would envy. It seemed _her _charm must be wearing off if Trunks was considering taking someone else on the double date.

"That's very kind of you to offer up an alternative idea, but Lorian is new to Orange City and she doesn't have any friends yet."

"Huh, too bad," Trunks sighed leaning forward in his chair so that his elbows were braced on his desk. "It looks like I'll have to take Belinda after all."

"Will you at least let me ask Lorian how she feels about a double date before I just tell her we will be going on one," Goten pleaded.

"You act as if I would do the girl harm," Trunks exclaimed, though his expression was not nearly as innocent as his tone tried to proclaim him to be.

Besides, Goten knew him better then anyone else; there was little point in trying to fool him.

"It's not, it's just that Lorian is unlike any woman I've ever met," Goten replied. "She is very innocent and sheltered."

Trunks' practiced leer returned full force. "Worried I'll taint her?"

Goten shot him a murderous glare. "No, and you'd better not even try it."

Trunks held up his hand in a gesture of peace. "Oh fine, if you're that worried about it, we can go on a double date some other time. But I would like to meet this Lorian if you intend on spending your weekends with her."

"Fair enough," Goten conceded, relieved to have thwarted Trunks for the moment. "I'll bring her around the house to see you before we go to our movie."

"If that's Friday, I'll be working late at the office," Trunks informed him. "It's time for another audit and I hate leaving things to my accountants."

"Then I'll bring her to the office," Goten promised him before hastily moving to the door. "I'll see you later."

Trunks watched him leave, a speculative look on his face. He had known Goten their whole lives, and while it was true he was a playboy himself, Goten was generally not so steady in the boyfriend department either. While it was true he didn't change women as often as Trunks did, Goten had never displayed interest in a woman for long. Trunks wondered how long his infatuation with this new girl would last.

* * *

Lorian had done nothing but read and watch TV since her last outing with Goten. While she knew she should get out and see the town, she didn't have any idea where to start and Goten was the only friend she really had. There were places called chat rooms on the internet, and she had hoped people there might help her find out about interesting sights in the city, but all they seemed interested in doing was flirting or telling silly stories.

She took her BMW X5 out for a trip to the mall and nearly killed several people, and she hadn't driven since then. It had seemed so much easier the last time she'd done it, perhaps she could ask Goten to show her how to drive. He seemed to be an excellent driver. Of course, if she really wanted to get around she could always fly, but if anyone saw her they would undoubtedly freak out. Not to mention she had no true idea when her father would return from his trip to Tirame, and he would be able to sense it if she used her power.

She was stuck walking or driving, and driving was a much faster method of getting around.

Lorian was engrossed in yet another episode of Fruits Basket when her phone rang, causing her to shriek in alarm. She reached over and turned down the volume on the TV, a skill she was proud of having mastered, and then answered the phone with a frown, irritated to have her show interrupted.

"What?"

Goten blinked in surprise at the hostile sound of Lorian's voice. "Uh, hi Lorian, it's me, Goten. Is this not a good time? I can call you back later if you want."

Lorian's frown was immediately banished by a brilliant smile, though he couldn't see it, he could hear the difference in her voice when she said, "No, don't be silly. There's no need for you to call back, when you can talk to me right now. Sorry, I was watching a show and got a little cranky when the phone rang. I didn't mean to snap at you."

Goten gave a silent sigh of relief, no longer worried she was angry with him. "I get the same way when someone bothers me while I'm eating."

"I've noticed," she teased him, though he had never been short with her, he had growled at a waitress that had tried to clear their table off before he was finished eating.

He grinned and said, "I just wanted to ask you if we could stop by Capsule Corp before we go to the movie. My friend Trunks wants to meet you."

"That's fine," Lorian assured him, not even remotely nervous about meeting his friends since she didn't know how important such an event was. "How have you been?"

"Since yesterday," he joked. "Fine. I'm a little sore. Some of my students were a bit hard on me today."

"I'd love to see your school," Lorian mused.

Goten started to invite her, then thought about Lorian surrounded by a bunch of drooling young men and quickly changed his mind. "Maybe on a weekend, when I'm not teaching any classes. The students need to have all their attention focused on their lessons, and I think if you were there you might be a little…distracting since you are not normally present."

She was also exceptionally beautiful but there was no need to tell her that and have her getting a swelled head.

"I understand," Lorian murmured.

Just then, there was a knock on her door. She blinked in surprise and then raced to the door to look out the peephole. She could see the outline of a young woman close to her own age, and she said, "I have to go, Goten, but it was nice talking to you. I'll see you on Friday!"

Lorian opened the door as she was hanging up the phone. The stranger turned to her with a smile, her blue eyes bright and full of life. "Hi there, neighbor. I hate to bother you, but I'm out of sugar. Do you think I might be able to borrow some?"

Lorian had yet to go grocery shopping, as she had eaten out every day since she'd arrived on the surface. "I'm sorry, but I don't have any sugar."

"That's okay," the woman began to reply, but she was abruptly cut off by a second female voice.

"Well, that's a lie if I ever heard one," a second girl replied as she pushed aside the blond, her own blue eyes dark with irritation. "Who ever heard of someone not having sugar?"

Lorian had never been called a liar in her life. She glared up at the tall blond and said, "Well, it seems as if you do not have any sugar right now, either."

The blond paused and the other girl, obviously her sister, hurriedly said, "Oh, don't mind Zena, she's just a bit…um, well, that is to say…"

"Just spit it out, Ana," the grouchy blond growled. "I'm what?"

"Well, if you must know, you're rude," the kinder blond retorted. "This girl says she doesn't have any sugar, and for that you accuse her of lying."

Lorian held a hand up before Zena had a chance to reply. "Listen, why don't you just come inside and look in my kitchen if that will help you to believe I don't have any sugar."

Both blonds stopped speaking and turned to stare at her. It was then that Lorian realized the girls were twins. They were identical in every way except personality: both tall, slender, beautiful and blond.

"What did you say," the irritable blond that Lorian assumed was Zena demanded.

"I said you can come in and see for yourself," Lorian calmly repeated.

"Oh, there's no need for that," Ana assured her, even as Zena pushed her way into the apartment and marched over to the kitchen.

"Zena," Ana wailed, horrified at her sister's appalling lack of manners. "What are you doing?"

"I'm just doing what she suggested, Ana," Zena called out as she searched through Lorian's cabinets.

Ana sent Lorian an apologetic look. "You must forgive my sister, she's terribly forward."

"Don't worry, I'm not offended," Lorian kindly assured her.

Moments later, Zena marched back over to Lorian and glared down at her. "Do you realize you have nothing in your kitchen? Nothing at all. You're going to starve."

"I just moved in this week, and I've been eating out," Lorian explained, liking the girl despite her rude manner, or perhaps because of it. She had always admired spirit as much as kindness and intellect.

"Oh, are you new to the area?"

Lorian smiled at Ana and nodded, "Yes, I've never been to Orange City before."

"So you probably need someone to show you where the grocery stores are," Ana surmised.

"Well, I'm sure I could find one, if I knew how to drive better," Lorian replied. "I was never allowed to drive when I lived with my father, so I'm afraid I'm rather dangerous on the road."

The twins exchanged looks of disbelief, and then Zena suddenly reached out and grabbed her arm. "Get your purse, girl, we're taking you to get some food and household supplies."

Lorian reached for the purse she had only recently bought on her one trip outside alone, and as she was dragged from the apartment, the grouchy blond frowned at her and said, "Name's Zena Marina, that's my sister Ana. What do we call you?"

"Lorian de Varr," she managed to get out as she was practically thrown into a sleek convertible.

"Nice to meet you, Lorian," Ana said with a smile. "If you haven't guessed by now, we're your neighbors. I'm so glad to have another girl our age in the building; everyone else is so…old. I just know we're going to be great friends!"


End file.
